FOMO is why enterprises pay for GPUs they don't use — and why prices keep climbing

FOMO is why enterprises pay for GPUs they don't use — and why prices keep climbing

FOMO is why enterprises pay for GPUs they don't use — and why prices keep climbing

Section 1 – What happened?

Enterprises are paying for Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) they don't use, driving up prices, according to a report by Cast AI. The company's 2026 State of Kubernetes Optimization Report found that most companies are running their GPU fleets at roughly 5% utilization. This low utilization rate is a result of the same shortage that is driving up GPU prices, making it difficult for companies to release idle capacity. As a result, enterprises are paying for underutilized GPUs, with prices increasing due to the high demand. For instance, AWS quietly raised its reserved H200 GPU prices by roughly 15% in January, while memory suppliers pushed HBM3e prices up 20% for 2026.

Section 2 – Background & Context

The shortage of GPUs has been a pressing issue for the past two years, affecting thousands of enterprises worldwide. According to Cast AI co-founder and President Laurent Gil, many companies are treating their cloud infrastructure as "neo-real estate," rather than cloud computing. This means that they are not releasing idle capacity, even when it would improve utilization and reduce costs. The report highlights that a reasonable human-managed target for GPU utilization is around 30%, but most companies are stuck at 5%. This low utilization rate is not only wasteful but also contributes to the high demand for GPUs, driving up prices.

Section 3 – Impact on Swiss SMEs & Finance

The impact of this issue on Swiss Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and the finance sector is significant. With the assumption that cloud compute gets cheaper every year no longer holding, enterprises are facing increased costs for their GPU infrastructure. This could lead to reduced investment in AI and other technologies that rely on GPUs, as well as decreased competitiveness in the market. For Swiss banks and financial institutions, this could mean increased costs for their cloud computing infrastructure, potentially affecting their bottom line.

Section 4 – What to Watch

As the cloud market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how enterprises adapt to the changing landscape. Will companies begin to release idle capacity and improve utilization rates, or will they continue to pay for underutilized GPUs? Additionally, how will the increased costs of GPU infrastructure affect the adoption of AI and other technologies that rely on these resources? As the cloud market splits into two layers, with commodity pricing still working at the bottom and increasing costs at the top, it will be essential to monitor the impact on Swiss SMEs and the finance sector.

Source

Original Article: FOMO is why enterprises pay for GPUs they don't use — and why prices keep climbing

Published: April 29, 2026

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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.